Coverboy
by shinebrightlikejules
Summary: It's a day off for class 1-A, the girls are bored and Izuku is a worried mess.


The students of hero class 1-A at U.A. don't have many days off from school and their internships so when they do have days off, they usually spend it relaxing around their dorm hall. A majority of the class was in the common room, some catching up on the latest drama at a low volume while others worked on homework on the tables or the floor. Midoriya Izuku was one of these students on the tables, clutching his head over his textbook while murmuring to himself over his math problems, trying to understand and memorize the many equations their teachers were asking of them.

Hunched over in seeming agony, Midoriya didn't even notice that a portion of his classmates were missing from the scene until Kaminari pointed it out.

It wasn't unusual for some of their classmates to be absent on days off as they could go home to visit their families. However, Kaminari's observation was indeed strange.

"Where are all the girls?"

The only reason Kaminari noticed this feat is because he's girl crazy 24/7, but it was indeed strange that not one of the girls were out here. But Midoriya figured that they were all somewhere together and decided not to worry about it.

He wasn't going to worry, until Mineta came scrambling into the common room, panting from the run it seemed, with redden cheeks and wide eyes that didn't seem to be associated with him running.

"I just saw Yaoyorozu and Uraraka drag Todoroki-kun into Mina's room!"

That made everyone snap their heads toward their smallest classmate.

"So that's where all the girls are at." Tokoyami said, chin in his hand as he nodded thoughtfully.

Some students hummed at the brought up notion, then returned to what they were doing.

"How are you all so calm about this?" Kaminari stood and his cheeks were stained red as he thought of all the reasons Todoroki would be in a room alone with the girls. Or, at least, all the reasons that would make his circuits burst. So he couldn't go further than where ever his obviously obscene thoughts brought him.

Which was also apparently where everyone's thoughts went. Including Izuku. He tried to think of other possibilities but for some reason, some very choice images kept reappearing in his head over and over again. He told himself he didn't care even though he could tell his feelings for his friends had been developing over the past few months that they had spent in close proximity in the dorms. He tried to get it through his head that whatever Todoroki was doing was none of his business.

He also couldn't get out of his head the fact that Todoroki frequently spent his days off to go visit his mother who's in the hospital. He knows this as whenever Izuku invited out the young man, he would always turn him down in favor of seeing her.

The anxiety in the room, and especially in Izuku's head, began to build. Midoriya realized he couldn't even focus on the algebra problems in front of him after looking at the same thing for 15 minutes and slid his chair back. He excused himself sullenly, already heading towards his own room to take a shower.

He took his time getting ready, his mind elsewhere, preoccupied with what Todoroki and the girls could have possibly been doing. Those same images, unfortunately, that were running through Mineta and Kaminari's minds were inside Izuku's and with them brought a burning jealousy in his chest that made him disgusted with himself. So he let steaming hot water burn away those images.

When that did nothing to end his frustration and shame, he turned the water knob until ice cold droplets hit his skin.

He didn't know how long he had stayed in the shower as his thoughts were muddled into one endless stream like the droplets flowing down his body, but after he began to lose feeling in his fingertips, he turned off the water. His movements seem to have become even more sluggish than before and Izuku quietly berated himself for his own pitiful actions. He got dressed in some fresh clothes to try and imitate a fresh start but, walking out of his dorm room and walking down to the common room, Izuku could already tell it did nothing to work. His phone told him he had taken thirty minutes to wallow within himself and, deciding that was enough, he pumped himself up to finish the rest of his homework.

Walking out of the elevator with a determined expression, his attitude quickly fell as he heard a loud bustling from the common room. Getting closer, he could make out the chatter and, while he couldn't pinpoint the feeling in his chest, he knew he didn't like it for it felt heavy and dark and gross.

He entered the common rooms and he could see the girls, particularly Mina, bragging about something and when Izuku heard what exactly, he perked up.

"Todoroki-kun looked completely different just now!" That was Uraraka, a big smile on her face.

"Yeah! He looked more like a pretty boy!" That was Hagakure as you could see a t-shirt and shorts moving but no one's mouth.

"All thanks to my skill!" Ashido was usually loud and boastful of her abilities. _What abilities_ in this case though, Izuku couldn't tell.

He couldn't wallow in his thoughts for very long, though, as Uraraka approached Izuku in the next moment after noticing him. She laced her arm through his and shook him just a bit.

"Deku! You just missed Todoroki-kun!"

Izuku must have had a very confused look on his face now as the other girls turned towards him and started explaining.

"Yeah Midoriya-chan!" Tsuyu started, "All of us had nothing to do, so we invited Todoroki-kun over before he left to go see his mother."

 _Dare he ask for what_.

Ashido turned then, flexing her bicep and gripping the bulging muscle.

"Yeah! I asked him if I could do his makeup before he left!"

Then Izuku just looked dumbfounded.

He knew where his frustration and jealousy had been steering his thoughts earlier but he most definitely did not expect for Todoroki and the girls to be doing that for the past hour.

"B-but," Izuku tried to start, "Todoroki-kun doesn't wear makeup."

The thought of Todoroki, the cool, calm and collected young man, wearing dramatic eyeliner along with lipstick, made Izuku's heart skip a beat. Though, Izuku thought, Todoroki seemed like the type that would get really red from the extra attention.

"Usually, no! But I didn't put regular makeup on him!"

"What do you mean, Ashido-san?"

Mina pointed to her left eye and winked.

"I covered up his scar!"

Izuku didn't usually like blushing profusely over his crushes in public, especially when said crush was not around and his closest friends found it okay to poke fun at his reddening cheeks. But the thought of Todoroki-kun without his scar, both his beautiful heterochromatic eyes against his equally as beautiful pale skin…Well, Izuku could definitely say his feelings of jealousy were not totally forgotten.

He was upset with himself, thinking that Todoroki would do such a lewd act but also for letting his feelings get to him and missing the sight of such a rare Todoroki.

But as soon as the many angles of Todoroki-kun flashed into Izuku's mind, as the girls crowded into his face, cooing at his known, yet unknown to some, feelings, a dark sensation made its way to his gut.

Izuku couldn't tell what it was, as there wasn't anything really bad going through his head, but there was a heavy feeling low in his stomach. It dragged him down as he retook his seat at the table to start studying for his math test this upcoming week. It was still there as he switched to begin his history essay. It didn't even go away when the rest of his classmates left the common area to go back to their own room.

Izuku couldn't tell what was weighing him down, no matter how much thought he put into it. In the end, he just knew one thing for sure: he wanted to see Todoroki.

He told himself he just wanted to see how Todoroki looked with his scar covered. He would have to wait until the young man in question returned to the dorm, but seeing as how the moon was high in the sky and they had classes together the next morning, Izuku didn't know how much longer he could stay up. He could also feel the weight in his stomach increase with each passing moment, like an excess of oil in the pit of his being. He sat alone in the common room, looking up from his work to the door, to the clock, then back to his work. When the clock was inching closer to midnight though and Izuku was stifling yawns and words began looking a lot alike, Izuku packed up his belongings.

The whole way up, Izuku kept looking over his shoulder, hoping Todoroki would be right behind him.

In the elevators, out of concern for his friend, Izuku sent a quick text to Todoroki, asking him if he was okay. He didn't expect a reply as Todoroki was terrible when it came to his phone but even just seeing that he had opened it would have been enough.

Though, by the time Izuku got to his room, he had yet to open the message.

When Izuku went to wash his face and brush his teeth, his message was still left unread.

When he prepared his uniform for the next morning as well as his school bag, nothing still.

While Izuku was changing into a pair of comfy sweatpants, his mind wandered to what was bothering him for the majority of the afternoon and, as he was pulling up the elastic, Izuku could not figure it out. The feeling eating away at his chest, weighing down his body more so than any difficult training session ever had. Before he could get his shirt on though, at the same time, a text message was sent to his phone and a knock was heard at the door.

Taking the five steps across his room, he grabbed his phone on the way to open his door. Checking his notifications, he saw he had a new text message. From Todoroki out of anybody and, before he could see the context of the message, he opened his door, to find the missing young man at his door.

Looking at the young man he hadn't seen all day, Izuku felt lighter already. He could feel his heart flutter in his chest and his smile grow as his eyes trailed up the tall Todoroki's slender neck. Rising and rising, Izuku heart raced faster until it skipped a beat when Izuku's green eyes met with Todoroki's heterochromatic eyes.

That's when Izuku noticed the clear, pale skin surrounding his eyes. He hadn't expected Ashido's makeup skills to be exemplary, but the work she had done on Todoroki was impeccable to say the least. Todoroki seemed to actually look his age, though still the stoic young man that he was. And, while Izuku had heard on multiple occasions from the girls referring to Todoroki as an ice prince, looking up at the young man in question, Izuku could see where they were coming from. Todoroki's eyes shone so brightly even in the modest lighting of the hall, Izuku could feel his pulse begin to race again and, before a blush could make it up to his cheeks, he forced his gaze down and muttered a greeting.

Todoroki smiled down at his friend, but the smaller one never saw as his gaze was on the floor. He could never tell what made the young man in front of him so nervous given his righteous ideals and brave nature on the battlefield, but in moments where it was just the two of them, he preferred this Izuku.

"I'm sorry Midoriya. I did not want to visit you this late, but from your message, you seemed worried."

Todoroki's voice was smooth as it usually was, even as if it was any other day. Given, Todoroki always looked good, scar or no scar, but something about Todoroki today made Izuku cheeks especially pink with embarrassment. Izuku couldn't make one complete thought with Todoroki's eyes focused on him. All Izuku could do was keep his eyes on his sock covered feet as he stepped aside to let Todoroki into his fanboy-themed room.

Todoroki stood in the middle of Izuku's room, relaxed and at ease as he took in all of Izuku's hero memorabilia. He had seen the merchandise plenty of times but, still, the innocence that it stemmed from could never cease to amuse the young man with the cold and fiery childhood. Being able to have this small glimpse at Izuku's more than made up for his lack thereof. The young man turned towards his host as the door was closed and a slight smile was on his lips. Izuku was only able to see out of the corner of his eye but that nagging feeling from before made its way back to his throat.

"Thank you for your concern, Midoriya. It meant a lot to me after the long day I had."

Midoriya noticed that Todoroki's voice was gravely and deep, like how it was when Todoroki brought Izuku to a dark corridor to confront him before the sports festival. Somehow, that thought in it of itself made Izuku feel heavier and oily.

 _Why did he come in here? Wouldn't he be tired?_

Izuku's eyes zeroed in on his friend, but there eyes couldn't meet for Todoroki's faced the dark night, looking up at the full moon that he was under just a few minutes ago.

"You know," Todoroki started, still not facing Izuku, "my mother was so surprised to see me like this." Todoroki, strong, deep-voiced Todoroki, standing in front of Izuku while talking about his mother made his heart flutter into his throat. He continued. "I told her how Ashido insisted on trying her skills on me. She always seems so happy when I talk about my friends."

Watching Todoroki stand in front of his window, Izuku starred at his broad shoulders and his heartbeat stopped in the middle of his throat and he felt tears prick at his eyes. He finally got what had been nagging at his entire being all day as Todoroki's shoulders bounced when he exhaled a laugh.

"I could not tell," the taller boy's voice stood sturdy without wavering, "if she was happy or upset at herself seeing me like this."

"Todoroki-kun!"

For the first time that night, Izuku did not stutter or mutter or make a quiet expression as he quickly approached the taller boy. When Todoroki turned towards the distressed call, he was surprised to find Izuku standing less than a foot away. His face was hard but, rather than angry, he gave off a sense of determination. His touch was firm as the hand that met Todoroki's forearm was gentle. They stood there in the moonlit room, not sure if the cool air was from the off-put ice-and-fire user or the dangerous and foreboding aura covering the two boys. As Izuku looked into Todoroki's sad, oh so sad eyes, he figured it could very well be both.

"I don't think it was either."

Todoroki's eyes widened the slightest bit that wouldn't have even been noticeable if it had been anyone else in front of him.

"Todoroki. I think your mother was worried. You've never tried to cover up your scar since we've been classmates."

Izuku's hand slid down Todoroki's forearm until one's fingertips touched the other, their palms just grazing each other's. Izuku bit his lip, wondering if he was saying so much. Then Izuku imagined Todoroki's eyes following the motion of his teeth and continued.

"From what you've told me," Izuku's big green eyes glossy, "you used to be really insecure about your scar. You've come so far since then and Mina shouldn't have suggested that you needed to cover it up."

At this point, Todoroki's eyes were fully wide and, while nothing else about his appearance gave the slightest hint that he was under duress, his heart thundered in his chest, hammering his ribs into dust.

"I'm sorry Todoroki but," Midoriya gave a soft smile showing his pearly teeth as tears ran down his freckled cheeks, "I happen to think you look beautiful with or without your scar."

Todoroki gave no sign that he was still in his body except for the slight shake of his fingertips grazing Izuku's, as if the hiccups were starting at the ends. Izuku could tell what was coming so he did what he thought was best.

He fully grasped the taller boy's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, and wrapped his other arm around Todoroki's back, putting his chin on the boy's shoulder. From here, Izuku could hear Todoroki's strong, fast-paced heartbeat.

For a moment, Todoroki did nothing. He stood there, letting Izuku cradle him in his strong arms, his sweet smell enveloping the taller boy's senses. They stood there as the bright moonlight outside was covered by roaming clouds and uncovered as the cool midnight air swirled. Izuku for a minute believed he might have gotten the whole thing wrong and a fierce blush made its way to his cheekbones. He was about to apologize when Todoroki's body shook, his free arm that had just been hanging on his side snaked its way up Izuku's back. Todoroki's embraced Izuku, sinking his fingers to his bare skin and then Izuku blushed for a whole other reason.

Izuku let Todoroki process his feelings as he let his own explode. Besides that initial shake of his shoulders, Todoroki hadn't let another sob wretch through his body, which would worry Izuku if he wasn't already focusing on Todoroki's broad chest and warm hand pushing him further against him and his cool fingers laced through his own. The variation of temperature might have been a little too much for the smaller boy as he started his usual muttering about how Todoroki should take off the makeup from his face as teenagers their age were already prone to acne. Not that he believed Todoroki would get pimples as he had never seen him have a single pimple in the many months they had known each other. So Izuku continued, asking if Ashido had thought to lend Todoroki some makeup wipes since those were always the best to use to remove the pigments but if not, Izuku happened to have some baby wipes in his bathroom from when Eri had come to visit and she made a sticky mess on his action figures.

Izuku would have continued. Lord knows once Izuku starts his muttering self no one could stop him, but Todoroki grasped the shorter boy's shoulders and brought him back to the ground. Putting some distance between the two, Todoroki put Midoriya at arm's length to let the both of them calm down. Like Midoriya, Todoroki's cheeks were flushed red, despite the thin layer of foundation on his face.

Todoroki, looking every bit the high school boy he was, he asked in a quiet voice, "May I please use the wipes?"

Izuku grinned a blinding smile and, after shimmying out of Todoroki's tight grip, retreated to his restroom. Todoroki could hear his friend rummaging through his belongings, out of sight, so he felt comfortable enough to call out to his friend despite his warm face.

"Midoriya. Thank you."

Todoroki could see a green blob of curls poke out of the doorway and Midoriya's eyes starred at his own heterochromia eyes. Returning with the wipes, he handed them over to the taller boy.

"For?"

They stood there, close to enough to touch each other if they so wanted, but in silence none the less. Todoroki mulled over what words to pick as he wiped the makeup over his entire face, getting residual grim that came with his day. Once Todoroki's face was clean of pigment, he met Izuku's eyes again, his face gentle, scar and all. Midoriya couldn't tell if he imagined Todoroki's lips quirk up the slightest bit but, whether he did or not, Midoriya did not imagine the flutter in his stomach at his friend's next words.

"For being here when I needed you the most."

Finally, after his stretched day, Izuku Midoriya felt light and fresh.


End file.
